Very well acted, but all relatively slow with not a lot happening(there is frequent torture), very few cast, and all takes place in a one-room location. Forty minutes would have been better; It is a tense, dark, slow, well-made drama.
12 Reviews
This should have been 30mins
therealjaysmoke22 August 2021
This movie could have been shot in 30min. I didn't find the dialogues interesting at all or I couldn't care less what they were talking about. The plot lacked depth and I just couldn't wait to see how she escaped. They should have shown scenes from other angles like the terrorists side, the before they were captured part, why they were captured etc. Would have given it more depth. Instead they decide to have long boring uninteresting dialogues like 2 love birds.
Good Plot Good Actors but better enunciation needed
mb-3308723 March 2021
The plot was good and the actors as well. This could be a good theatre piece. The pity, in the dialogue is the lack of clarity of speech by the actors who sometimes mumble their words. If this were a theatre play the actors enunciation would have needed to be a lot clearer and the public would have enjoyed it even more. The same can be said for the movie. Directors please stop the actors from mumbling!
Mumbling gets you a 5 otherwise an 8 would have been appropriate.
Filmmakers, take note.
Top_Dawg_Critic24 March 2021
Now THIS is how it's done folks. Let me explain; for starters, newb filmmaker Jonathan W. Stokes hasn't riddled this film's account with endless bs shill high reviews. For that, mad respect, sir. 🙌 Nothing is more annoying than a filmmaker - newb or seasoned, resorting to desperate tactics trying to fool his audience. If you click on my account, you will see how I really feel about shill reviews, and how I deal with them. You can also see more of my 1000+ reviews, to see that this is a non-biased honest critics review.
This film is Stokes' third full length feature film, with about the same number of short films. I am not a fan of slow paced long dragged out films. This one pretty much fit that theme, however, his outstanding camera work and perfect shots, direction of his cast's performances, as well as the outstanding cinematography, kept me glued to the screen, and time did fly by.
The pacing for the decent 93 min runtime was slow, but that didn't really affect the tension and suspense, because Stokes kept his scenes nice, short and to the point. There were no long dragged out scenes. Yes, there was much filler for the most part, and his story could've used more substance - and action, but for a newb filmmaker, I think he nailed it. For that matter, he came up with something much better than some seasoned filmmakers have put out in the last year or so. Even for a low budget B-grade film, the score was on point and fitting, unlike your typical loud, overbearing and unfitting scores in most B films. My only issue was the sound mixing. I found many scenes were hard to hear and understand the dialogue, especially the whispering parts. The sound editor needed to amp up the voices in those scenes, so not Stokes' fault.
What I really appreciated, was his use of a low budget; be basically shot this entire film in just two rooms, with a handful of actors. To be able to pull that off... now that's talent. It reminded me of the movie Phone Booth with Colin Farrell. It was a story filmed mostly in a confined phonebooth with excellent directing, but it was also Farrell's excellent performance that made that one a hit. And for this film, the beautiful Georgina Campbell delivered an equal caliber, if not better performance. Even Mido Hamada was excellent as Abu Khalid.
Nevertheless, having only some of the dialogue sound issues, and the need for more substance in Stokes' writing, everything else in this film was pretty much perfect, and quite deserving of my 8/10, especially taking into account he's a newb filmmaker, with a limited budget and cast, and production value for a B film, that was put together outstandingly. I will certainly be keeping an eye open to see what else Stokes gives us, as he is certainly a filmmaker to watch out for.
This film is Stokes' third full length feature film, with about the same number of short films. I am not a fan of slow paced long dragged out films. This one pretty much fit that theme, however, his outstanding camera work and perfect shots, direction of his cast's performances, as well as the outstanding cinematography, kept me glued to the screen, and time did fly by.
The pacing for the decent 93 min runtime was slow, but that didn't really affect the tension and suspense, because Stokes kept his scenes nice, short and to the point. There were no long dragged out scenes. Yes, there was much filler for the most part, and his story could've used more substance - and action, but for a newb filmmaker, I think he nailed it. For that matter, he came up with something much better than some seasoned filmmakers have put out in the last year or so. Even for a low budget B-grade film, the score was on point and fitting, unlike your typical loud, overbearing and unfitting scores in most B films. My only issue was the sound mixing. I found many scenes were hard to hear and understand the dialogue, especially the whispering parts. The sound editor needed to amp up the voices in those scenes, so not Stokes' fault.
What I really appreciated, was his use of a low budget; be basically shot this entire film in just two rooms, with a handful of actors. To be able to pull that off... now that's talent. It reminded me of the movie Phone Booth with Colin Farrell. It was a story filmed mostly in a confined phonebooth with excellent directing, but it was also Farrell's excellent performance that made that one a hit. And for this film, the beautiful Georgina Campbell delivered an equal caliber, if not better performance. Even Mido Hamada was excellent as Abu Khalid.
Nevertheless, having only some of the dialogue sound issues, and the need for more substance in Stokes' writing, everything else in this film was pretty much perfect, and quite deserving of my 8/10, especially taking into account he's a newb filmmaker, with a limited budget and cast, and production value for a B film, that was put together outstandingly. I will certainly be keeping an eye open to see what else Stokes gives us, as he is certainly a filmmaker to watch out for.
Solid Movie - simple setting but great acting - need subtitles
srussell123428 March 2021
First of all - let me save you some time - get subtitles - I stopped about 1/4 way through to figure out how to get them up - the audio is terrible
That being said - everything else is great - great character development and great acting.
Superior job on a budget premise.
Superior job on a budget premise.
I Loved it
msn664926 March 2021
Well acted, well paced and well done
stylemessiah23 March 2021
The lead here is transfixing, if you want to see a well acted part with a character full of determination, who isnt male, here's your chance.
I'd have given it 10 if more effort had of been put into making more use of the excellent acting and investing in more plot and plot angles.
I look forward to seeing more of the lead actress.
I'd have given it 10 if more effort had of been put into making more use of the excellent acting and investing in more plot and plot angles.
I look forward to seeing more of the lead actress.
Well acted and believable performances
keithmblackwell4 April 2021
Not the typical action film that I like, but it was suspenseful and believable. Great performances ny all the cast members and and a great story of a strong willed heroine. Give it a watch and let me know what you think.
Pretty intense movie
MovieGuardian27 March 2021
This movie make you want to jump into it and do something. Be a hero, and help the reporter free herself, and the others. The way it was filmed make you sometime become the incarcerated reporter. The resolve of this reporter makes me want to root for her escape, but I am helpless. If you can watch this movie, go for it.
Don't let the bad guys win.
reywal9925 June 2021
The only conceivable reason this film is rated so low is the fact that the realism contained therein offended the reviewer's woke sensibilities. Georgina Campbell gives one of the most amazing performances I've EVER seen. The rest of the cast is superb as well. I'm going to see F9 on Sunday and I doubt it will be 1/10th as pulse racing as this gem. It's borderline slanderous to give this anything lower than an 8. I hope to see Ms. Campbell in many more--and larger budgeted--features. She is a revelation.
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